Chapter 35 Newlyweds
As the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased, Meng Qingci lay sprawled on the couch, revealing a seductive and alluring shoulder.
"Your dance moves don't seem like something a female tutor hired by the Marquis of Anyi's mansion could teach you." Fu Heng wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, brushed aside her smooth, silky black hair, and planted a kiss on her cheek, breaking the romantic atmosphere in the room: "Did you remember something?"
As they spent more time together, Fu Heng increasingly felt that her conversation, perspective, demeanor, and temperament were far beyond what an ordinary servant could possess. He couldn't help but be filled with doubt. Could it be that he was reminded of his own background? But what kind of family could raise such a rebellious woman, one who even dared to utter such outrageous words?
Meng Qingci hummed weakly, her voice tinged with a mocking softness: "Remember what? Remember how to sway your hips and dance to please men?" She turned her head, her eyes sharp as knives, and glanced at him with disdain: "And what do you take my background for? From a brothel?"
Fu Heng's eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip on her snow-white shoulder with a slightly punitive force, causing her to tremble slightly. "Don't talk nonsense," he warned coldly, his voice carrying a barely perceptible huskiness.
Meng Qingci gasped in pain, then slapped his hand hard across the back of his hand. Her beautiful eyes glared at him with a hint of anger: "You were the one who brought it up first, and now you're blaming me? Have you ever had a single decent thought in your head!"
Fu Heng had just received some kindness from her, but seeing that she was about to get angry again, he quickly calmed down, apologized repeatedly, and coaxed her gently.
But Fu Heng was inherently suspicious. After he was satisfied, his mind cleared up a bit. He held the warm, fragrant woman in his arms, his chin gently rubbing against her neck. He seemed infinitely tender, but his words were still probing: "Why did you suddenly see things differently? Did that eldest daughter of the Zhu family persuade you?"
Meng Qingci nudged Fu Heng's ribs with her elbow without any politeness: "You're so boring. Stop trying to guess my intentions. If you don't want to, you can just go out and ask someone to bring you a bowl of contraceptive soup right now. I'll drink it and I'll be clean."
Fu Heng endured the pain and hugged the other person even tighter, quickly begging for forgiveness: "It's my fault for making you unhappy, please forgive me."
"Haven't you done that enough?" Meng Qingci sneered. "I've never seen a man become suspicious and paranoid before he's even gotten out of bed."
Fu Heng knew she was referring to the day at the Marquis of Anyi's mansion, when he coldly watched Fu Hongxuan plot to frame her. He was speechless for a moment and could only awkwardly look away.
Meng Qingci got up and straightened her undergarments, then lightly kicked his shin: "Don't delay, get up now and send someone out to get things done."
"When have I ever not cared about your affairs? The clerk and accountant have been waiting at the door for a long time." Fu Heng grabbed her mischievous foot, caressed it lovingly, and pressed it against his thin lips.
She suddenly felt a warm, wet sensation on her round, pearly toes. With a hiss, she pulled her leg back, picked up her wrinkled and torn dress from the ground, and complained to him, "You refined scoundrel."
Fu Heng was amused by her antics, but he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't know where she got all those strange and unusual words from, but she could always come up with a different one to insult him.
Meng Qingci hastily dressed herself, loosely tied up her long black hair, and casually grabbed a black cloak from Fu Heng to wrap herself up completely. She turned and stepped out of the inner room, all her previous emotions vanishing in an instant, leaving only a cold indifference on her face. Her fingertips dug deeply into her palms, leaving several crescent-shaped red marks.
She didn't know how much longer she would have to deal with Fu Heng. It would be a lie to say she wasn't afraid. She was afraid of getting more and more involved, afraid of gradually getting used to him, and even more afraid that her young body wouldn't be able to withstand the pain of childbirth.
But there's no turning back now. Thinking of Fu Heng's cold indifference at the Marquis of Anyi's mansion and the coercion she faced, she couldn't bear it no matter what. She was willing to take the risk and try to gain some happiness and freedom.
Meng Qingci quickly tidied her clothes and then ordered someone to invite Zhu Youyi.
Thanks to the handwritten document of Master Zhu and his personal seal, and the fact that Fu Heng had made arrangements for the clerks and accountants, the transfer of the Zhu family's property was handled with extraordinary smoothness.
Once everything was settled, Zhu Youyi stood up and solemnly knelt down to thank Meng Qing.
Meng Qingci reacted quickly, catching her in his arms: "What does this mean?"
Zhu Youyi's eyes reddened, her fingers tightly gripping the wooden box full of silver notes, and she said in a trembling voice, "I can never repay the great kindness of you, sir and young lady, in this lifetime."
The clerk and accountant beside them both stood with their heads bowed, pretending not to see. Sparks had just been flying from their abacuses, and although they had expected this outcome, they were still inwardly shocked.
The accountant remained relatively calm, as he was the one who handled all the money Meng Qingci withdrew daily, and he was already used to the governor's doting affection for this young lady.
The clerk was seeing this Miss Meng for the first time. It was widely known in Minzhou that she was someone the governor held dear. Seeing her in person today, he was utterly astonished by her beauty, but what shocked him even more was her cunning and resourcefulness.
He never imagined that the usually aloof, self-possessed, and unassuming governor would, in order to win the favor of this Miss Meng, cause the downfall of the Zhu family in the blink of an eye.
He couldn't even imagine the upheaval that would engulf the Zhu family and the powerful clans of Minzhou because of this incident. This Miss Meng hadn't left the Zhu family an inch of clan land; how was this any different from digging up ancestral graves and destroying ancestral halls?
"Alas~" Meng Qingci sighed, "The master and I only felt sorry for you. You are just an orphan like me, your life is like a piece of duckweed. You still have to board the ship, don't be late."
She turned and called Mo Song over, solemnly instructing him, "You personally escort Miss Zhu onto the boat for me, and make sure it is done safely."
Mo Song bowed and accepted the order with solemnity.
Zhu Youyi bid farewell to Meng Qingci, her tone earnest and reluctant: "This parting is a long and arduous journey, and we may never meet again. I only wish that you and the young lady take good care of yourselves, live in harmony, become a couple, and soon have the joy of having a son."
Meng Qingci seemed to have taken it to heart, and with a look of glad acceptance, raised her hand to say goodbye.
After seeing Zhu Youyi off, Meng Qingci ordered someone to serve fresh tea to the accountant and clerk, and then handed them two red envelopes.
The two men touched the contents and immediately realized they contained silver notes. Overwhelmed with gratitude, they quickly stood up and respectfully bowed to her.
They knew clearly in their hearts: even someone of Steward Mo Song's status could be ordered around by this Miss Meng at will, so how could they dare to be negligent in the slightest?
After that, Meng Qingci stopped going out of the mansion every day as before, and instead visited Fu Heng more and more frequently. Whenever Fu Heng was engrossed in reviewing official documents, she would sit quietly beside him, sewing him undergarments, belts, purses, and other personal items. A silent tenderness flowed between the two of them, making them seem like a newlywed couple, deeply in love, a truly touching scene.
More than a month later, Meng Qingci was diagnosed with pregnancy.
Upon hearing the news, Fu Heng was overjoyed and immediately rewarded all the servants in his household with two months' wages, his happiness overflowing.
That evening, after their tender moment, Fu Heng pulled Meng Qingci into his arms, placing his large hand on Meng Qingci's lower abdomen and stroking it back and forth.
Fu Heng was reluctant for her to become pregnant too early. He remembered every word she had said in the past and was always worried that she was still young and her body was not fully developed, so she might not be able to endure the pain of childbirth.
On the other hand, however, he also had an irrepressible longing for a child.
It was as if only in this way could he grasp this elusive relationship more firmly and prove that she truly belonged to him.
"I need to inspect the naval camp tomorrow, and it will probably take a few days. If you feel bored and want to go out for a walk, be sure to bring more people with you. I'm leaving Mo Song and Mo Bai with you; I'll feel more at ease with them taking care of everything." Fu Heng said gently, "But you're pregnant now, so you must take care of your health in everything you do."
Upon hearing this, Meng Qingci's heart began to pound uncontrollably, but she restrained herself from looking at Fu Heng and instead asked softly, "How many days will you be gone?"
Fu Heng was most pleased with her completely dependent look on him, and deliberately asked with a smile, "What, you can't bear to leave me even before I'm gone?"
Meng Qingci sighed, "I'll be scared if you're not here. Didn't you say I can't live without you?" She then leaned closer to him, seemingly very reluctant to part.
Fu Heng replied vaguely, "Don't worry, it'll only be a few days, I won't do anything to you."
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Author's Note: Wishing everyone a smooth start to the school year. I wasn't originally planning to post yesterday (the 1st), and my daily output is just this much. As a result, I'm half an hour late again today. I'll leave it for now and see when I can have a burst of updates. I've already updated over 20,000 words this week! Thank you all for your support!
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Locking the Golden Branch
1v2
Wang Yuanzhen saved Xiao Yan's life, but Xiao Yan repaid kindness with enmity, forcibly seizing his property.
As Xiao Yan lay dying from his severe injuries, he saw a woman, graceful in the light and shadow, wearing a jade lotus headdress with two flowing ribbons, and a Guanyin mole between her brows, like a celestial maiden descended to earth.
He should have repaid the debt of saving his life, but instead he committed despicable acts.
1v2
Mine clearance:
1. Classic melodramatic plot, SC (sexual infidelity), male lead is a stalker, female lead is delicate, size difference, age difference.
2. A fictional, chaotic medley of events, with numerous warlords vying for power.
3. The trope of forcibly taking or seizing property.
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